Meaning of Birth
by Strife543
Summary: [One Shot] The final battle between original and replica is at hand. [MAJOR Spoilers]


**Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of the Abyss, though I wish I did, because I'd have made it longer . **

**Credit for the dialouge itself goes to Namco Tales Studio. The rest to me **

**This is merely a written version of the final battle between Luke and Asch. All of the out of battle dialouge is directly from the game (Aside from that, Asch does a few taunts during the fight, which I added) Why did I use the actual script for this, you might ask? Well, to me, it REALLY didn't need to be improved upon. Besides, It left me more time to do the battle itself . Hope you enjoy this!**

**Meaning of Birth**

Falling…

The world around Luke flew by, vanishing so quickly it seemed like a distant memory. It was almost laughable. Such a simple trap, and he, as usual was the one to fall into it. Surely Jade had made some sarcastic remark when it happened too. He never was one to miss an opportunity to make the crimson haired noble feel small. Luke shut his eyes tightly and braced himself, for as bad as the embarrassment of stumbling into the trap was; the resulting landing was going to hurt even more.

"Damnit! I don't have time for this! Am I already too late?!" Asch's voice questioned with anger, the gargantuan ivory doors before him no closer to being open then when he started.

The former God-General paced back and forth before the door when a noise behind him made him quickly spin about… In time to see Luke, his replica, rise to his feet. Luke groaned and rubbed his head, not at all sure how he was still alive, and as his gaze cleared, he saw the original… Him. Asch's frustration only grew, "You…"

Luke's eyes widened, "Asch! What are you doing here?!"

Asch stepped away from the doors, walking towards the replica. Sneering, he went on, "Humph. I could ask you the same thing. House Fabre must have very stupid genes." He stopped a short distance from his long time rival, and crossed his arms.

""Even my replica fell into the same trap… Disgusting."

Luke frowned, and gesturing with his hand as he spoke, "Don't say things like that!" he cried, fearing that, from Asch's words, they were trapped.

Asch merely tilted his head back slightly, sneering all the more, "It's true!"

Luke sighed, but quickly shook his head. No, there HAD to be some way… Some way to get out of this… "Isn't there any way out?" he questioned.

Asch scoffed, and strolled forward, pushing passed Luke to the center of the room. Only now did the replica realize that, stationed around the two of them was a large circular glyph, linked to the door through the lines in the floor. Asch stood in the very center and knelt down. Energy began to swirl around the two of them, staying well within the glyph lines for but a moment, before racing towards the door. As the energy streamed upwards, the door creaked, and finally opened. Luke's gaze fell immediately to it, but as tantalizing as the exit to the pitfall trap might have been, he felt compelled to wait for Asch.

The original Fabre stood tall once more, and in turn, the energy stopped and the door closed. With a small sigh, he declared, "One of us has to stay here." His voice was adamant, and there was no mistaking he spoke the truth.

Silently, Luke stepped beside him, and offered his hand, which began to shimmer and glisten unnaturally. Asch's eyes widened, "…What are you doing?" he asked in disbelief.

Despite the situation, and the prospect of being forever entombed here, Luke smiled, "If only one of us can get out, you should be the one to go."

He pushed his hand forward, "Use the key to free Lorelei…"

Asch whirled about to face him, the look of anger returning to his face, "Stop it! Just stop! Are you trying to insult me?!" he exclaimed.

Luke shook his head, his hand stayed where it was, "No, I'm a replica. My hyperresonance isn't as powerful." He tried to explain.

"If our skill with the sword is equal, then the one who is better in another area should go."

With a quick gesture, Asch pushed the hand away and turned, walking away from his copy, "…Now that you're not just putting yourself down, you're even more irritating!" he cried in frustration.

Luke was at a loss, "Asch…"

Asch did not turn, rather he continued on, growing madder and madder by the moment. "Better in another area? You don't know anything. How can you possibly say that?" he questioned.

"You couldn't possibly know which one of us is better!"

Luke tried to interject, to try and calm Asch and make him understand, "Either way, I'm…" he began, but Asch would hear none of it.

"Shut up!" the true Fabre roared, his anger finally overtaking him. In one fluent movement, he brought his sword to hand, and spun about on his foot, aiming the blade directly at Luke.

Luke instinctively stepped back, at a loss for what to do. "Asch! What are you…" he tried once more.

And once more, Asch would hear none of it. For he made a solid declaration, "Only one of us can leave this room."

"The stronger one will destroy Van!"

Before Luke could step in once more, Asch quickly continued, "This isn't about hyperresonance or who is or isn't a replica…"

"As two of Van's pupils, we're going to find out who's stronger… Who the real "Luke" is."

His gaze cut through Luke as he finished, "This is a fight to settle who we are."

Luke was utterly lost, and found himself pleading with Asch despite knowing what little it would do. He gestured with both hands, point at both himself, and Asch. "We're both real. You and I are two different people!"

Asch sneered, "Shut up! This isn't about logic!"

For an instant, Luke could have sworn he saw a tear in Asch's eyes, but the man's words were spoken in anger, not sadness. "You can't possibly understand how I feel! You stole my past and my future! Now is all the time I have!"

Luke shook his head, "…Now is all the time I have too." He pointed out.

The replica Luke withdrew his own sword, and swung it forward, letting it come to rest beside him, ready to spring up if the need arose. "I don't even have a past to lose. But I've still decided that I'm me."

He shook his head, and tapped his chest with his free hand, "It doesn't matter what you think. Here I am."

"If that's the source of the strength you're talking about, then I won't lose." He firmly declared.

Asch smirked, and raised his sword, mimicking the action Luke had done. "Well said. I will make those words your last, replica!"

The two stared at each other for but a moment, before rushing forward. Asch brought his sword up, only to have it fall a moment later. Luke's own blade rose to meet it, parrying the blow. The short haired swordsman stepped back, spinning about on his heel and swinging out. Asch, however, had no intention of losing, let alone so quickly. His blade, like Luke's had, met his adversary's and turned aside the attack. The true Fabre thrust his sword forward; only have his replica slide to the side to avoid.

Asch grinned, "Come now, you can't avoid forever…" he taunted, flaunting his sword for but a moment, before resuming his stance.

Luke pushed the blatantly attempt to drop his guard aside, and focused. He concentrated, tightening the grip on his sword while mentally repeating the same word; one Van had taught him long ago. "Steel…" he whispered.

With a burst of new strength, Luke leapt forward, slamming his blade into the ground, where only moments before his rival stood. Asch had leapt back and, with a tightly clenched fist, struck the ground, sending a shock wave towards him. Luke rolled to the side, and from his crouching position, leapt up into the air, and lunged towards Asch with a well placed kick. Asch swung out with his sword, the blunt side of the blade catching Luke in the leg, and knocking him to the side. The replica rolled, but he too, was too determined to win the fight to lose it so easily.

Asch charged forward, sparks danced and skipped along as his sword. As he reached Luke he leapt to the side and thrust towards him, hoping to catch his rival off guard. Luke brought up his sword, focusing his body's own fonons into deflecting the attack. Lightning raced down from above – A result of Asch's technique – And stopped only inches above Luke's crimson hair. A shimmering orb had formed around the replica swordsman, proving once more the worth of the guardian technique taught to only those dedicated enough.

Turning, Asch fell back to a distance away from Luke and brought up his blade, holding it across his chest and murmuring under his breath, "O' darkened storm clouds, loose thy blade and run mine enemies through…" His eyes flashed opened as his sword raised upwards.

"Thunder Blade!"

Luke whirled around in time to spot the spell manifesting itself. A great javelin of thunder raced down upon him, giving Luke only a moment to move out of the way. As the lightning crashed behind him, Luke picked himself off the ground, his defiant roll having scarcely saved him. Asch chuckled, "What's the matter, at your best?" he taunted once more.

Luke grit his teeth and faced him, standing once more. A shame he knew no fonic artes himself, for he would have returned that spell in a heartbeat. Rather, he rushed forward towards Asch, sliding to a halt just before him and slamming his blade into the ground, sending a shower of rocks and pebbles – Compliments of the battlefield – At his rival. Asch swung again and again, cleaving some of the debris in half while sending the remainder to either side.

Shoving his blade into the ground, Asch whirled around, tracing a complete circle around him. The moment the lines met, the circle flared to life, causing Luke to jump back to avoid harm. Asch wasted no time and leaped towards him, swinging his sword in an arc towards Luke. The replica rested the flat side of his blade against his free palm to better deflect the blow. The moment Asch's blade touched his, Luke gave a might heave, and forced the other to the ground.

Now it was Asch on the defensive.

Luke held his sword at the ready, and swung it downwards in a clean, fluent sweeping motion. Asch managed to block with his own sword, but found himself being slid back once more. As he tried to rise to his feet, Luke attacked again, causing the original to fall back on defense once more. Luke tried again, but this time, Asch was prepared. As the replica stepped forward, Asch kicked out with both legs, sending Luke sprawling to the ground and giving Asch his chance.

Now on his feet, Asch stood over Luke, and raised his sword high above his head, ready to end the battle in one fell swoop. Luke grit his teeth, and sprang forward from his fallen position. His knee connected with Asch's stomache, winding the other fighter. Luke whirled around, bringing his sword up and slashing once across Asch's chest, before placing another kick in the same area as before. With a grunt of effort, and some exhaustion, he slashed once more, and leaped back. Asch staggered, the twin cuts across his body already starting to cost him blood. "How could I…"

Asch clutched his chest with his free hand, panting, "Damn it… The original lost to the replica…" he murmured, throwing his sword to his opponent's feet.

Luke stared down at it, before giving the other a questioning look. "Take it." Was the only explanation he received.

Picking up the weapon – The other half of the key that he and his friends had needed – Luke looked back at Asch. "Asch… I…" he began, the sound of rapid and continual clanking growing louder and louder.

The far door, opposite to the one Luke and Asch needed to use slid open, and a procession of Oracle Knights rush in, the leading one already shouting for all he was worth. "Stop! Hand over the Key of Lorelei!"

Asch dropped to one knee, and thrust an open palm to the floor. Once more energy swirled around, opening the way forward. Luke stared at the knights, at the door, and at Asch. "I'll hold them off! Go!" declared the former God-General.

Luke shook his head, "I'll fight with you!"

Casting a glare at his replica, Asch's anger grew even more. "Don't be stupid! Are these guys important right now?! Of course not!" he roared.

"But if I take the key, you won't have a weapon..." Luke pointed out.

Asch shook his head again, "I'll just take one from an enemy! Hurry!"

With little more then a moment's hesitation, Luke raced towards the exit, stopping just before it and turning to face Asch… For the last time, he feared. "…Promise me you'll survive!"

"If you don't, Natalia and I will… Never stop grieving!"

The true Fabre stomped his foot in indignation, "Shut up! Fine, I promise! Now go!"

That was all it took. With a small nod, Luke raced through the door. Asch glanced over his shoulder at him, and nodded his approval, before slamming his hand into the ground once more. The door, in turn, slammed shut as the energy trail ran cold. His breathing grew heavier, "Humph… No time left… I'm going to disappear soon…" he whispered to himself, shutting his eyes lightly.

The Oracle Knights raced towards the lone swordsman, "Out of the way!"

Asch opened his eyes, staring at each and every adversary before him, "No. Your fight is with me, Asch – No, Luke Fon Fabre!" he declared, raising an arm before him as if to begin casting a fonic arte.

"Prepare to die!"


End file.
